Using pipe cleaners and beads, little ones can create participate in a holiday craft and create an ornament.
These ornaments are easy to put together. Children simply string the beads onto the pipe cleaner. The pipe cleaner is then bent to the desired shape.
Materials
- beads (red, white, yellow, green)
- pipe cleaners aka chennile stems
- ornament hooks
The colors of the beads depend on what you are going to make.
Some examples:
Candy Cane
Using a red or white pipe cleaner, children string red and white beads, alternating color. (or red, white, green) Leave a little space at each end. Twist & curl each pipe cleaner end in order to hold the beads into place. This project can also be used to show repetition, pattern, or counting.
Wreath
String green beads onto a green or brown pipe cleaner. After every 4-6 green beads add a red bead. Shape this into a circle, and you have a wreath. Then attach a small piece of pipe cleaner to the top to make a hook or use an ornament hook.
Star
Children string white or yellow beads onto yellow or white pipe cleaner. Leave a little space at both ends to twist them together. Using their hands, form the five points of a star twisting the two ends at the top point (little ones may need help with this). You can attach a small piece of pipe cleaner to the top point to make a hook for the tree.
Transparent beads on a silver or gold pipe cleaner also look great!
Christmas Tree
Alternate red and green beads on a brown or green pipe cleaner. Twist the two ends together to form the top point of the tree. Then have the children form a triangle shape with their hands.
For a more complicated design have children alternate red and green beads (keeping track of the number of beads) followed by green and then brown beads. Repeat the pattern backwards (starting with brown) to form the other side of the tree. Then twist the two ends together at the top & form a tree shape with the brown beads at the bottom.
